2018 American Circus Educators Conference

“Art is what unites us in our community,” he said. “It is an activation of the abandoned spaces. It’s an action of reclaiming community. It’s not just drawing, or painting, or making sculptures, but a vision of community, of uniting people to make public spaces better.” This quote is from Edgardo Larregui Rodriguez, a social artist who believes that circus, and all art, is able to lift communities up and create connection. This summer, Circus Harmony’s St. Louis Arches formed a Peace through Pyramids partnership with Escuala National de Circo Puerto Rico and their social circus troupe, the Revolution Circus. Together, 11 flying children from Circus Harmony and their Puerto Rican counterparts created a show together and brought the joy, inspiration, and hope of the circus to parts of Puerto Rico that were hardest hit by Hurricane Maria. Learn how, why and what happened on this Revolution for Harmony Circus Tour from people from both organizations, Circus Harmony’s Jessica Hentoff who has been doing social circus work since the 1980s, her daughter Elliana Hentoff-Killian, who grew up as a member of a social circus and is now a lead coach, and Jafet Irizarry, Leslynette Ramos Irizarry, Glorimar Sierra, the passionate trio of people who recently started Circo Social de Puerto Rico!